CD Reviews

Slamming, raw Slim

Tim Weber | Iowa | 07/12/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, completely ignore the track listings with this disc. Amazon.com screwed up and they are tracks for some other artist and album. The music is rough and tumble, ragged but potent blues from the always-strong Magic Slim. It's great Rooster Records has re-released this disc which features 11 cuts from a 1982 session and three tracks from 1975. Slim kicks out some raw instrumentals, a couple originals and a slew of well-chosen covers. This isn't pretty, it isn't pop or blues-rock. This is the real deal, more raw than his three recent Blind Pig releases (all good). "Black Tornado" strikes the perfect balance between roughness and clarity; "Grand Slam" might be his second-best album. Give a listen to one of the few great blues artists we have left."

Slammin' Slim

J. E FELL | Carterville, Illinois United States | 02/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Magic Slim (Morris Holt) is one of the most underrated bluesmen alive today. If you like house rockin' Chicago style electric blues you will like this cd. His style is similar to that of Hound Dog Taylor except he does not play as much slide guitar. This cd is a reissue of his best album which has been out of print for a while. The reissue includes the welcome addition of three bonus cuts from an aborted session in 1975. The band is excellent and they are given ample time to stetch out on a number of instrumental cuts. Magic Slim is a master of not only uptempo boogie numbers but also low down minor key blues tunes. My favorite tunes include covers of Hound Dog Taylor's "Give Me Back My Wig", Buster Brown's "Fannie Mae" and a tribute to his friend Magic Sam "She Belongs To Me". If you have picked up any of Magic Slim's recent Blind Pig releases you will enjoys this reissue as much if not more than those. I hope with this reissue and his current cd "Snakebite" he will finally get some of the credit he deserves later in his career like Luther Allison did. Warning his cds are addicting. If you hear one you may have to get them all."